The invention relates to a coffee/tea pot, more particularly to a combined cover and strainer assembly for a coffee/tea pot.
Referring to FIG. 1, a coffee/tea pot 2 is shown in conjunction with a combined cover and strainer assembly 3. The combined cover and strainer assembly 3 comprises a main cover 31 having an apex with a stud piece 32 extending therein. An inclining frame 33 is clamped to the apex of the main cover 31 by a nut member 34 threadedly engaged with a portion of the stud piece 32 extending inside the main cover 31. The inclining frame 31 is made of plastic and has a horizontal stub 331 at one end. The stud piece 32 has an axial hollow space 321 for receiving a connecting rod 35. The connecting rod 35 has a first section hinged to a second section. A handle 36 is connected to one end of the connecting rod 35. A second end of the connecting rod 35 passes through a perforated casing 37 and is attached to a strainer 38. The periphery 381 of the strainer 38 abuts with a slightly expanding periphery 371 of the perforated casing 37. The stub 331 is positioned slightly below the neck 22 of the pot 2 and cooperates with the periphery of the main cover 31 to maintain the position of the combined cover and strainer assembly 3 on top of the pot 2. The tea leaves or the grounded coffee are placed inside the perforated casing 37. The connecting rod 35 is pulled up or pushed down to infuse tea or coffee into the liquid inside the pot. The disadvantages of the combined cover and strainer assembly 3 are as follows:
1) When it is no longer desired to infuse tea or coffee into the liquid inside the pot 2, one has to pull the connecting rod 35 upwards and bend the same at the hinged portion to raise the perforated casing 37. The pulling and bending action adds inconvenience to the combined assembly 3. PA1 2) When it is desired to replace the contents of the perforated casing 37, one has to hold the perforated casing 37 away from the strainer 38 while the connecting rod 35 is bent due to the hinged portion. The inside of the perforated casing 37 is then scraped to remove its contents. The removal of the contents and the replenishment of the perforated casing 37 is done while the combined assembly 3 is in an awkward position, as shown in FIG. 2, making it difficult to remove and replace the contents of the perforated casing 37. PA1 3) When the combined assembly 3 is separated from the pot 2, there is always the possibility of an untimely separation of the strainer 38 from the perforated casing 37. Thus, the contents of the perforated casing 37 might spill from the same and cause stain to tablecloths, carpets, etc. This disadvantage is shown in FIG. 3.